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Little Rock Women’s History Month – Lucy D. Dixon

Known professionally as Mrs. Edgar F. Dixon (in an era when married women were listed publicly by their husband’s names), Lucy D. Dixon was elected to the Little Rock City Board of Directors in November 1957. Though not noted at the time, her election was historic. She was the first woman elected to a municipal office in Little Rock who had not first succeeded her husband. Prior to her service on the City Board, Mrs. Dixon had served on the Little Rock School Board. She was secretary of that body during the 1957 desegregation crisis.

Lucy Ann Dulin was born in Hensley in 1904. She moved to Little Rock and graduated from Little Rock High School (then located on Scott Street) and attended the University of Arkansas. From 1927 until 1935, she worked for her family’s business – Dulin Bauxite Company. She returned to the company in 1941 and worked there until 1950. She later served on the company’s board of directors.

Beginning in 1935, she became involved with the PTA and rose to the position of National Secretary in 1949, serving for three years in that position. As a PTA officer, she visited thirty-six of the then forty-eight states.

Among her other leadership positions were executive vice chair of the Governor’s Advisory Committee on Education, trustee of Little Rock Junior College (now UALR), delegate to the White House Conference on Children and Youth, delegate to White House Conference on Education, Pulaski County Welfare Board, and Little Rock Planning Commission. She was also active in many Methodist organizations. In 1953, she was the Arkansas Democrat Woman of the Year.

Married to Edgar F. Dixon, she had three children: Philip Edgar, Barbara and Mimi. She died in January 1996 at age of 91.